Devotionals

Spurgeon's Daily Devotionals - Evening Edition

January 22

"Doth Job fear God for nought?" - Job 1:9

This was the wicked question of Satan concerning
that upright man of old, but there are many in the present day concerning whom
it might be asked with justice, for they love God after a fashion because he
prospers them; but if things went ill with them, they would give up all their
boasted faith in God. If they can clearly see that since the time of their
supposed conversion the world has gone prosperously with them, then they will
love God in their poor carnal way; but if they endure adversity, they rebel
against the Lord. Their love is the love of the table, not of the host; a love
to the cupboard, not to the master of the house. As for the true Christian, he
expects to have his reward in the next life, and to endure hardness in this. The
promise of the old covenant is adversity. Remember Christ's words-"Every branch
in me that beareth not fruit"-What? "He purgeth it, that it may bring forth
fruit." If you bring forth fruit, you will have to endure affliction. "Alas!"
you say, "that is a terrible prospect." But this affliction works out such
precious results, that the Christian who is the subject of it must learn to
rejoice in tribulations, because as his tribulations abound, so his consolations
abound by Christ Jesus. Rest assured, if you are a child of God, you will be no
stranger to the rod. Sooner or later every bar of gold must pass through the
fire. Fear not, but rather rejoice that such fruitful times are in store for
you, for in them you will be weaned from earth and made meet for heaven; you
will be delivered from clinging to the present, and made to long for those
eternal things which are so soon to be revealed to you. When you feel that as
regards the present you do serve God for nought, you will then rejoice in the
infinite reward of the future.